oral immune systemWhen we realize that all food, air and water--all the components we need to live--come in through the mouth--its importance to our survival becomes very clear. The mouth is the first component of our digestive system, where the teeth and saliva help break down food into particles small enough for the stomach and intestines to handle efficiently. Water and liquids that we drink come through the mouth as well, as does the air that we breathe. This makes the mouth the part of the body that is most exposed to pathogens, and makes it the body's first line of defense against these pathogens. The healthy mouth and oral area has a very effective immune system to protect it, and the body it supports. Components of the oral immune system include the salivary glands, along with mucosal secretions, which contain an antibody called secretory immunoglobulin A, or "SIgA," which can survive in harsh environments such as digestive and respiratory tracts. SIgA protects the entire body against a multitude of invading microbes, and is resistant to degradation caused by exposure to various enzymes. Due to the salivary secretions, this secretory immonoglobulin also coats and protects every tooth and helps protect them from harmful bacteria that may cause decay. However, the SIgA protection can be significantly impacted and compromised by several factors, including mixed metals or alloys in the mouth, mercury amalgam fillings, or infections of the salivary glands themselves.
Unfortunately, none of this is really taught all that much to dental students. The focus of most all dental schools today is on the mechanical, "drill and fill" side of dentistry, and very little is taught about preserving the mouth's immune system, or the repercussions to the mouth and the whole body if not treated properly. The good news is, this attitude is beginning to change. It therefore appears that what dentists do, the treatments they provide, inside the mouth, will have a direct effect on the oral immune system and the body's immune system; and everything they do should be supportive to these immune systems, and not detract from them. When dentists go into the mouth indiscriminately with treatments that damage or destroy oral immunity, the patient's health may suffer, and sometimes dramatically. The sad thing is, many of these patients may never know or understand that many of their health problems could be the results of these types of indiscriminate dental treatments they have had. It is the mission of HealthandDentistry.org to educate dental patients as to the importance of preserving and protecting oral immunity, and how it can be done.
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In dentistry, the periodontal ligament is the membrane that surrounds and cushions every tooth, but it is also much more than that. It is an immune membrane that protects every tooth from invasive elements from the outside environment. This makes the periodontal ligament another important element of the oral immune system. However, this ligament/immune membrane can be injured or damaged by the cutting and scraping effects of the common dental cleaning, as well as many of the conventional dental therapies that are performed today.
